Jill Schramm/MDN The old water tower on North Hill, left, is absent its tank as it is in the process of coming down. It’s been replaced by a new 1.5 million gallon water tank, right, installed last year.

Demolition started last week on the 500,000-gallon, red-checkered water tower on North Hill. Work should wrap up by the end of next week, depending on wind conditions, according to the City of Minot.

Last fall, the city completed the erection of a new 1.5 million gallon water tank, located behind Marketplace Foods on North Hill. It was built to serve a section of Minot that has grown with the construction of new housing and a middle school.

Landmark Structures is the prime contractor on the replacement project, and All Industrial Services is the subcontractor handling the demolition. Demolition was estimated to account for about $50,000 of the $3.36 million tower replacement project, funded 60 percent by the North Dakota State Water Commission.

The tower demolition debris is being hauled to Gerdau for scrap metal.

– Jill Schramm